Opening at UNESCO of International Conference on Biodiversity: Science and Governance24-01-2005 4:00 pm - (Press Release No 2005 - 09)“Our generations are undoubtedly the last to have the ability to stop the destruction of the life around us,” declared French President Jacques Chirac today at the opening of the International Conference on Biodiversity: Science and Governance taking place at UNESCO Headquarters from January 24 to 28. Personalities participating include Marc Ravalomanana, President of Madagascar; Abdullah Badawi, Prime Minister of Malaysia; Carlos Gomes Junior, Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau; Wangari Maathai, Nobel peace prize winner and Vice-Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources of Kenya; and Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO. MoreArabic

International Conference on Biodiversity: Science and Governance14-01-2005 4:50 pm - (Press Release No.2005-07)More than 1,000 researchers, political leaders and representatives of the private sector will meet, from January 24 to 28, at UNESCO Headquarters at an International Conference on Biodiversity: Science and Governance, which will seek to help stem the alarming rate of extinction of living species and destruction of their ecosystems. MoreArabic | Russian

UNESCO plans global tsunami warning system for mid-200713-01-2005 9:30 am - (Press Release No 2005-05)UNESCO is working towards the establishment of a global tsunami warning system that would be operational by June 2007, said UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura. Speaking at a press conference at the Mauritius International Meeting on Small Island Developing States on Wednesday, Mr Matsuura said that assessment missions are already being undertaken to concerned countries as a step towards the creation of the first regional component of the global system, in the Indian Ocean, foreseen for June 2006. MoreArabic | Russian

Eight Nobel Prize laureates launch International Year of Physics at UNESCO07-01-2005 3:30 pm - (Press Release No 2005 - 03)Over 1,000 participants, including eight Nobel Prize laureates, personalities from the world of science, and close to 500 students from 70 countries will take part in the Physics for Tomorrow conference at UNESCO on January 13-15. The event will mark the official launch of the International Year of Physics, proclaimed by the United Nations. Throughout 2005, events will be organized* across the world to debate physics and its implications. MoreArabic

OPEC and UNESCO create AIDS project for twelve countries in Asia and the Arab world28-12-2004 9:00 am - (Press Release N° 2004-128)Paris, December 24 – UNESCO and OPEC FUND have concluded an agreement to create a two-year Project on Reducing the Impact of the HIV/AIDS Crisis in and through Education. It aims to help curb the rate of new HIV infections among young people in and out of school in 12 countries: three Arab states, three in Central Asia and six in southeast Asia (1). The OPEC Fund has undertaken to provide US$ 2,250,000 for the Project, which will focus on information and education, assistance to ministries, teaching programmes and curriculum enhancement. MoreArabic | Russian

Successful completion of joint UNESCO/Japan project for preservation of Bamiyan (Afghanistan)23-12-2004 4:30 pm - (Press Release No 2004 - 127)Cultural heritage conservation experts, representatives of the Afghan and Japanese governments as well as UNESCO, met in Tokyo from December 18 to 20 to review the successful completion of the two-year UNESCO/Japan Project for the Safeguarding of the Bamiyan Site whose Giant Buddhas were destroyed by the Taleban in March 2001. Emergency consolidation has been made possible by the project, which also allowed for much awaited finds concerning the age of the artefacts. MoreArabic

First anniversary of the earthquake at World Heritage city of Bam (Iran)23-12-2004 4:00 pm - (Press Release No 2004 - 126)The inscription of Bam and its Cultural Landscape, the ancient Silk Road landmark, on UNESCO’s World Heritage List and on the World Heritage List in Danger will be celebrated in a ceremony on December 27, marking the first anniversary of the earthquake that destroyed much of the site and killed more than 26,000 people. MoreArabic | Russian

Renewal of funds-in-trust agreement in favour of technical and vocational education22-12-2004 6:00 pm - (Press Release No 2004 - 125)The German government, represented by Peter Platte, Chargé d’affaires of the German Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, and UNESCO, represented by Birgitte Møller, Director of the Division of Cooperation with Extrabudgetary Funding Sources, today signed the sixth agreement for funds-in-trust in favour of technical and vocational education and training (TVET). MoreRussian | Arabic

UNESCO Director-General welcomes release of two Laotian political prisoners16-12-2004 11:30 am - (Press Release No 2004 - 122)UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura today expressed satisfaction and pleasure over the release of Laotian political prisoners Latsami Khamphoui and Feng Sakchittaphong. The two men, for whose release UNESCO campaigned for many years, arrived with their families in France today and will be given medical care. MoreArabic | Russian

New books and laboratory equipment en route for Iraq's universities16-12-2004 11:15 am - (Press Release No 2004 - 121)Four containers of laboratory equipment, along with supplies of up-to-date reference books and students textbooks are on their way to Iraq as part of an international effort to revitalize the country’s universities and its higher education system. The consignment has been organized by UNESCO and the International Fund for Higher Education in Iraq, initiated by the First Lady of Qatar, Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Misnad, who is also a UNESC0 Special Envoy for Basic and Higher Education. MoreArabic | Russian

Tirana Summit commits to foster inter-ethnic and inter-religious dialogue10-12-2004 6:00 pm - (Press Release No 2004 - 119)Tirana (Albania) - The regional Summit of Tirana1, organized at the initiative of the President of Albania, Alfred Moisiu, and the Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, ended today with the adoption, by some 150 participants, including six Heads of State, of the Tirana Summit Declaration on Inter-Religious and Inter-Ethnic Dialogue in South-East Europe, in which the participants pledge to release themselves “from the disputes of the past […] by practicing a culture of dialogue”, within and among their countries. More

Political will reaffirmed during MINEPS IV08-12-2004 5:30 pm - (Press Release No 2004 - 117)Athens (Greece) – The Fourth International Conference of Ministers and Senior Officials Responsible for Sport and Physical Education (MINEPS IV) closed today after having reaffirmed the will to overcome the last remaining differences concerning the Draft international convention against doping in sport. More

Sport prizes awarded by UNESCO and the International Committee for fair play08-12-2004 4:45 pm - (Press Release No 2004 - 116)Athens (Greece) – Greek Olympic Champion Voula Patoulidou and New Zealand rugby player Tana Umaga are among the laureates of sports prizes awarded by UNESCO and by the International Committee for fair-play (CIFP) in Athens yesterday at the Fourth International Conference of Ministers and Senior Officials Responsible for Sport and Physical Education (MINEPS IV). MoreRussian | Arabic

MINEPS IV: A new step towards a convention against doping30-11-2004 1:00 pm - (Press Release No 2004 - 112)Doping, physical education and women in sport are the main themes of the Fourth International Conference of Ministers and Senior Officials Responsible for Sport and Physical Education (MINEPS IV) which will take place in Athens from December 6-8 at the invitation of the Greek Government. Participants from around 70 countries are expected to attend. MoreArabic | Russian

UNESCO and GBC hold business forum on HIV/AIDS on World Aids Day26-11-2004 6:00 pm - (Press Release No 2004 - 111)On December 1, representatives of several of the world’s leading multinational corporations will come together to discuss HIV/AIDS education and prevention programmes implemented by business. The Business Forum on HIV/AIDS Education and Prevention, co-organized by the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS (GBC)* and UNESCO, will take place at UNESCO Headquarters (8.30 a.m. – 12.30, Room X). MoreArabic

UNESCO and World Water Council launch water cooperation facility24-11-2004 4:30 pm - (Press Release No 2004 - 110)An international mediating mechanism to help resolve problems over shared water resources will be launched by UNESCO, and the World Water Council (WWC), during a meeting at the UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education in Delft, The Netherlands, on November 25 and 26. MoreArabic

UNESCO and Microsoft sign cooperation agreement to help bridge the digital divide17-11-2004 11:00 am - (Press Release No.2004-106)Microsoft today joined the coalition of major private sector partners supporting UNESCO’s global strategy to draw on information and communication technologies (ICT) to improve education, social and economic development worldwide. The Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, and Bill Gates, Microsoft’s Chairman and Chief Software Architect, signed a cooperation agreement at Organization Headquarters in the presence of Hans-Heinrich Wrede, Chairman of the Executive Board, and Ambassador Louise Oliver, Permanent Delegate of the United States of America to UNESCO. MoreArabic

Human Rights Day 2004 a tribute to human rights educators16-11-2004 1:30 pm - (Press Release No 2004 - 107)The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and UNESCO are dedicating Human Rights Day 2004 on 10 December to human rights education and encouraging other agencies and programmes of the United Nations System and relevant governmental and non-governmental actors to do the same. MoreArabic

UNESCO-Italy agreement on emergency actions to protect heritage28-10-2004 2:45 pm - (Press Release No 2004 - 97)UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura, Italian Culture Minister Giuliano Urbani, and Italy's Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to the Organization, Francesco Caruso, on Tuesday signed a Joint Declaration for the Safeguarding, Rehabilitation and Protection of Cultural and Natural Heritage. Signed in the presence of Italy’s Undersecretary of Culture, Nicola Bono, it is the first cooperation agreement between UNESCO and one of its member states for emergency heritage operations. MoreSpanish | Arabic | Russian

Close of the 170th session of UNESCO's Executive Board14-10-2004 6:00 pm - (Press Release No 2004 - 93)The 170th session of UNESCO’s Executive Board, chaired by Ambassador Hans-Heinrich Wrede (Germany), closed today following two weeks of debate devoted notably to UNESCO’s role in the Education for All programme and preliminary proposals for the Organization’s draft programme and budget for 2006-2007. The session “has been fruitful and indeed result-oriented,” said Ambassador Wrede. MoreSpanish | Arabic | Russian

Croatian actor Relja Basic named UNESCO Artist for Peace04-10-2004 5:20 pm - (Press Release No 2004 - 90)The Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, will name the Croatian actor Relja Basic UNESCO Artist for Peace in a ceremony on October 6 at Organization Headquarters (Hall Ségur, 7 p.m.). The event will be followed by the opening of an exhibition on Croatian sites inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. MoreSpanish | Russian

Director-General condemns murder of Dominican journalist, Juan Andujar23-09-2004 10:45 am - (Press Release No 2004 - 88)UNESCO Director-General, Koïchiro Matsuura, today condemned the murder in Azua (Dominican Republic) on September 14 of Juan Andújar, a correspondent with the Santo-Domingo-based daily Listín Diario. The journalist was gunned down just after he had completed a radio broadcast on the crime wave that has shaken the town of Azua, in the south of the country. MoreSpanish